We'll try a few goes over the next few weeks from one of the daughter carft, and see how it goes. As I understand it, our MO's opinion was based on the distribution of stresses on tissues, i.e. muscle and cartlidge. I'm not arguing with him on that one!

Agree the dunk method wasn't brilliant, which is why the engine skegs method and secondly the log roll would be my two priorities.

Anything which significantly deviates from keeping the casualty horizontal after an unexpected entry into cold water will put extra strain on the heart

A stated in the very first post, this method is for 'able' people, not classed as a casualty who don't need to be kept horizontal because of injury/hypothermia and it does work well in practice especially if the tube is wet. For me, it's a good lift because it's more pivot technique than pure strength.

jyasaki put it pretty well, and it happens from time to time up here, although mostly in newer divers. You are correct though RW, we don't have stinging stuff up our way. (It’s too damn cold I think!). As I mentioned in an earlier post, it's not "me" that's worried about this recovery stuff... it's the "boat tender"! She knows just enough about diving to be dangerous as the saying goes, so she tends to worry a lot, unnecessarily IMHO.

Virtually all of the diving I do is in excess of 120' and about 40% of my dives are in the 155' to 230' range. If I can't resolve a problem at depth, there's not much likelihood of me surfacing unconscious!

We were recovering a dead dolphin (i'm a biologist) which was substantially heavier than most crew member (bottlenose is about 200-300kg (@500lb)) we deflated one of the tubes, pulled it onboard and reinflated the tube.

Personally, if I came across such a shady looking character in the water… the last place I would want him would be in my boat… A quick bowline around his ankle and tow him to the local coastguard station….
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She knows just enough about diving to be dangerous as the saying goes, so she tends to worry a lot, unnecessarily IMHO.

Agreed, as the late Jacques Cousteau said:

Diving is a sport for active grand mothers

Quote:

Virtually all of the diving I do is in excess of 120' and about 40% of my dives are in the 155' to 230' range. If I can't resolve a problem at depth, there's not much likelihood of me surfacing unconscious!

Rubbish, in twenty years of diving I have yet to see a diver surface unconscious. Missed decompression stops yes, but never unconscious. Why could you not solve the problem at a shallower depth. The loss of computers and back ups or even the loss of a decompression gas can mitigated at a shallower depth. The bends are not instant, it takes time for bubbles to collect together and build to proportions that will cause problems, thats why divers in the North Sea are allowed to use surface decompression. Surfacing without stops, into the chamber and back down to depth within 5 minutes.

Personally, if I came across such a shady looking character in the water… the last place I would want him would be in my boat… A quick bowline around his ankle and tow him to the local coastguard station…. .

tut, tut . You can't claim salvage on Jono, but if you rescued his rib then the insurance company might pay 8 - 10% of its value

Suggest one considers "Handy Billie" system which is a Block and Tackle.
If one uses a system of two blocks each with two pulley wheels, this should give a 4 times power or make it four times easier to pull them out.

Suggest one fixes to centre of A Frame with those who have a suitable one or opposing side or retrival to pull person into boat past the sponson. The Sponson should aid recovery but if necessary, one may have to soften a bit.
The higher it (the block and tackle) is attached in the boat the better.

I also am reminded of the Surf Rescue where they us speed of boat (jet ski with tow board) to retrieve an able body very quickly between rollers. They come along side slowing down to lower gunnel, firemans grip and hit the throttle which brings the body alongside firm and use the planeing effect to assist lift.
You need to be fit for this one.

I seem to recall it in Rib Interntional Mag a few Issues ago.

Not being able to get back into the boat is the plot of new movie where kids dive of yacht and forgot to putout ladder. The Freeboard would not allow them to get back in. Didnt see any more than the trailer, didnt think I needed to!!!!!
Happy New Year you all...

Rubbish, in twenty years of diving I have yet to see a diver surface unconscious.

I am personally aware of at least two instances of this happening in Tobermory this past season alone. (Both "victims" were hauled back on board charter vessels by friends of mine.) I am not certain of the reasons for their situations, so I won't speculate, but neither was serious... since they were quickly retrieved. One required resuscitation on the boat; the other did not. One was run in a chamber, the other was examined and released. Both were in fairly shallow dives... 80/100' or so.

As I have said, I am not concerned about this happening to me... It's more to give the Better Half a degree of comfort, knowing that she could haul my butt out if required...